Any reason you can't use the admin options to set the default sort using an attribute, and populate the drop down with one or more attributes? Admin>System>Configuration>Catalog>Frontend>"Product listing sort by” and Admin>Catalog>Manage Categories>"Display Settings" tab.
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ahillman3Feb 16 '12 at 21:43

@ahillman3 No, the only options over there are 'best value', 'title' and 'price'.
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cobra91Feb 16 '12 at 21:51

I'll look some more later, but you are going to need to investigate the code more, as those configurable options are overriding your hard coded sort in the page. Hopefully I'll have time tonight, or someone else can assist before I do.
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ahillman3Feb 16 '12 at 22:23